No Monkeying Around! Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World Welcomes Baby Squirrel Monkey.
A Telford Zoo is celebrating the arrival of a baby Squirrel Monkey, born earlier this summer, which can now be spotted alongside its family.
The tiny new arrival was born to Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World's troop of Squirrel Monkeys that joined the Telford zoo from Port Lympne Safari Park in Kent last year.
The zoo’s animal care team chose to keep the birth under wraps while they closely monitored the baby’s development and progress, ensuring the youngster was thriving before sharing the news with visitors.
After doing well over the summer, the baby can be seen clinging to its family members and becoming part of the lively troop. The zoo have not yet been able to confirm whether the youngster is male or female.
Squirrel Monkeys are native to the tropical forests of Central and South America, where they live in social groups and spend much of their time moving through the trees in search of food.
The birth is an exciting milestone for the team at Hoo Zoo, which welcomed the family of eight monkeys to their new home earlier this year.
“We’re absolutely delighted to have welcomed a new baby Squirrel Monkey to the family. It’s always incredibly exciting when a new arrival joins us, but we wanted to give the baby time to grow and make sure everything was progressing well before announcing the news,” said Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World owner, Will Dorrell.
“The little one is doing well and can now be seen with the rest of the troop in their habitat. We’re not yet sure whether we have a little boy or girl, but visitors can look out for the baby being carried around by its family.”
“It’s also a wonderful opportunity for guests to learn more about Squirrel Monkeys and the importance of protecting these fascinating animals and their natural rainforest habitats.”
Squirrel Monkeys face a number of threats in the wild, including habitat loss and capture for the illegal pet trade. Hoo Zoo hopes that welcoming visitors to see the troop, including its newest member, will help raise awareness of the species and the importance of conservation.